UC Santa Cruz

10/02/2026

Happy Filipino American History Month! 🇵🇭 This summer, an intergenerational team from UC Santa Cruz’s Watsonville is in the Heart project, the Tobera Project and Pangasinan Polytechnic College traveled to the northern Philippines to record oral histories and reconnect elders with overseas relatives.

Through the Saritaan project at The Humanities Institute, researchers digitized family photos and documents across Pangasinan province to trace migration roots back to California’s Pajaro Valley.

Celebrate these powerful stories and transnational connections with us at the Fifth Annual Filipino American History Month Festival this Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM in Watsonville.

Come support and honor the vibrant history connecting our communities across the Pacific. More information at the link in bio.

09/30/2026

“UC Santa Cruz…really empowered us to think big and bold.” - Bruce Stein (Rachel Carson ’78, biology and environmental studies)

Alumnus Bruce Stein became a leading voice in the conservation field over the course of his 35-year career ultimately serving as the chief scientist and associate vice president at the National Wildlife Federation before retiring in 2024. A leading authority on climate adaptation, he led the groundbreaking climate-smart conservation approach and co-authored Precious Heritage: The Status of Biodiversity in the United States.

Stein began his path at UC Santa Cruz with hands-on training in the natural history program. As an undergraduate, he served as the principal investigator for a National Science Foundation grant. Exploring the Granite Mountains of the Mojave Desert gave Bruce the fieldwork discipline and research skills that launched his career in plant biodiversity and tropical botany.

After completing his Ph.D. at Washington University, Stein went on to lead international programs for The Nature Conservancy before shifting his focus toward climate change solutions across North America. Though he retired in 2024, he continues to lend his expertise to international climate assessments and biodiversity groups.

09/30/2026

09/30/2026

Financial barriers shouldn’t stand between students and career-defining experience.

Through Institute for Social Transformation’s Transforming Futures program, Banana Slugs affiliated with UC Santa Cruz Social Sciences receive scholarships and mentorship support to pursue hands-on, community-driven summer internships. Since 2022, the program has awarded more than $570,000 to 85 students and partnered with over 70 community organizations, from right here in Santa Cruz to around the world. 💙💛

Last week, we celebrated our Transforming Futures cohort as students reflected on a summer spent doing meaningful work in our communities.

Congrats to this year's interns! Sending a special thanks to the UCSC Institute for Social Transformation, Merrill College, the UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board Opportunity Fund, and donors MR Macgill and Ho Nam for ensuring these transformative opportunities continue for years to come.

09/25/2026

Congrats on your first day of classes yesterday, Banana Slugs!

We are so excited to see campus vibrant and active again. Wishing you a fall quarter filled with inspiring moments, proud milestones, and endless growth. Welcome home. 🫶🌲

09/24/2026

There’s a vibrant energy on campus today as our community returns for the first day of classes.

Every fall brings a new sense of possibility as we come together again — welcoming new students, faculty, and staff, reconnecting with familiar faces, and looking ahead to all the year will bring.

As we kick off the new academic year, Chancellor Cynthia Larive shares a message on what makes UC Santa Cruz special: the community we create together, how we approach our shared work with curiosity and respect, and all the possibilities ahead.

Here’s to a wonderful year. Go Slugs! 💙💛!

📹 Video description: Chancellor Cynthia Larive delivers a welcome message for the new academic year, emphasizing curiosity, respect, and the power of bringing diverse perspectives together as Banana Slugs. Shots of the Chancellor talking straight to camera are intercut with various shots of students and researchers on campus.

09/21/2026

El Centro and the Dolores Huerta Research Center are not just campus resources. For more than three decades, they have fostered joy, opportunities, mentorship, and community for Chicane and Latine Banana Slugs. Both have helped launch innovative research, strengthened student learning and development, and invested in the next generation of scholars, leaders and changemakers.

From volunteering with El Centro to donating to the Latiné Futures fund, there are many ways you can make a difference and support our Chicane and Latine students this Hispanic Heritage Month.

09/17/2026

Kresge is back! 🦉🎉 Introducing the brand new residential halls at Kresge College! From student lounges to spacious apartments, every corner was thoughtfully designed to foster our vibrant banana slug community amidst the redwoods. Ready for move-in later this week, we’re excited for students to make new friendships and memories and build their UC Santa Cruz story within these halls.

Here’s to a groundbreaking year ahead!

09/16/2026

Where are they now?🌲💫 Class of 2025: One Year Later

Driven by a passion for scientific discovery, Owen Moosman (Stevenson ’25, molecular, cell & developmental biology) channeled his fascination with genomics into a high-impact career in health research. Today, he is a research associate at UCSF, where he interfaces with physicians, scientists, and students while studying autoimmune responses.

Attracted to UC Santa Cruz for its global reputation in genomics and RNA research, Owen analyzed pediatric cancer bioinformatics in the Treehouse Undergraduate Bioinformatics Immersion (TUBI) group and studied fish adaptation to extreme environments with the Kelley Lab.

Owen viewed his undergrad as a space to grow as both a researcher and a resource for others. Balancing his studies with his role as a Stevenson College peer advisor, he developed a mix of analytical precision and collaborative confidence. Today, Owen works as a research associate in the Biochemistry and Biophysics Department at the University of California, San Francisco. In the future, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. and continue in healthcare research.

Life Beyond the Redwoods features ten Class of 2025 alumni who share how their time at UC Santa Cruz prepared them to launch their careers one year after graduation.

09/15/2026

Meet Varad Desai, a first year microbiology student at UC Santa Cruz, who discovered an immersive field opportunity! 🦭🌊

Thanks to UC Santa Cruz Science Degree-Defining Experiences Program, Varad participated in the Año Nuevo Research Ambassador Program, where he introduced visitors to its unique coastal ecosystem.

Through hands-on experience, he gained confidence in science communication, expanded his knowledge of marine mammals, and explored different niches within biology. The program helped him see how educating the public about wildlife can deepen people’s appreciation of the natural world.

💡The Degree-Defining Experiences Program offers transformational learning opportunities for UC Santa Cruz undergraduates in the form of experiential field courses and other activities outside the classroom. Learn more or support the program! Visit science.ucsc.edu/ddep or email [email protected].

🎥 Video description: Varad discusses his experience in the Año Nuevo Research Ambassador Program. Shown over b-roll of elephant seals, whales, working near the ocean, and being interviewed while sitting outdoors.